Eruptive prominence associated with limb flare of 25 January 1991

We have observed an eruptive prominence at the east solar limb on 25 January 1991 which started earlier than 0623 UT and was associated with a limb flare (S16 E90) of class 1B/ X10.0. We have recorded a huge mass ejection in the corona by the limb flare associated eruptive prominence. The eruptive prominence ejected a part of the loop in the corona with maximum speed of about 1280 km/sec. The ejected material attain height upto 150,000 km in the corona and finally faded/disappeared in the corona. During the ascending phase of the prominence material in the corona there was a unscrewing of the loop system associated with the eruptive prominence. The type II, III, and IV radio bursts were also reported by a number of Radio Observatories during observation of the eruptive prominence. The high flux of sudden ionospheric disturbances and the solar radio emissions on fixed frequencies (245–80000 MHz) were also recorded. The eruptive prominence associated with limb flare also shows increased proton flux (>10 MeV) during its occurence. The flare was classified as X10.0 flare. In this paper we have analysed the observed data and compared it with the theoretical model of the solar flare.On leave from his original Institute     

Kinematics of a loop prominence

The kinematics of a loop system has been studied from high resolution Ca ii K line spectra and H filtergrams recorded at Oslo Solar Observatory.Emission features are seen to fall at supersonic velocities from the top of the arches towards the chromosphere. Our data are in agreement with the assumption of matter falling freely along a dipole type magnetic field of maximum height 100–150 thousand km. There is a slight asymmetry between positive and negative line shifts which can be accounted for as a tilt of the individual loops relative to the plane of the sky of 5–10°. The planes of the loops are also inclined by a small angle of approximately 15°. It appears that matter starts from rest at the top of the loops. An observed tilt of some emission features in the K line spectra may be explained by a gradient in the line-of-sight velocity with height caused by the curvature of the dipole type loops.     

Oscillations of optical emission from flare stars and coronal loop diagnostics

Based on an analogy between stellar and solar flares, we investigate the ten-second oscillations detected in the U and B bands on the star EV Lac. The emission pulsations are associated with fast magnetoacoustic oscillations in coronal loops. We have estimated the magnetic field, B ≈ 320 G; the temperature, T ≈ 3.7 × 10⁷ K; and the plasma density, n ≈ 1.6 × 10¹¹ cm^?3, in the region of energy release. We provide evidence suggesting that the optical emission source is localized at the loop footpoints.     

Motions in a loop prominence

Motions of loop prominence knots have been studied on H-line filtergrams. By making use of contours of equal photographic density for entire cinegram it has been possible to significantly decrease the error in determining the locations of the knots. The method of mean velocities has been developed, which has permitted for the first time accurate determination of the laws of knot motion with sufficient accuracy. Two types of falling knots are distinguished: (1) those with a constant acceleration that is always below the gravitational acceleration, and (2) those with a constant velocity. The initial velocity of the falling knots is always different from zero. The gasdynamic theory has been developed to explain the deceleration of the two types of knots due to: the work done against the pressure force; pileup plasma raking; and shock-wave generation. The shock mechanism imparts a constant velocity to the motion. The temperature along the knot trajectories has been estimated. The ratio of the densities in the knots to the surrounding medium has been found.The aim of the present work is to gain new insight into the known observations of the motions in active prominences, in particular in the loop prominences, and to understand the reasons for the observed motions.A number of studies of prominence knot motions have been made using filter photographs (cinefilms). It seems to us, however, that the velocities (and especially acceleration) of individual knots have been determined within insufficient accuracy. It will be noted first of all that values of V(t) have been determined with a low accuracy by some authors even for high velocities (V 100 km s^–1). In fact, to achieve at least 10% accuracy in determining V by comparing two photographs obtained with a 30 s interval, it is necessary to measure the location of knots to 0.5 accuracy. The problem is the more complicated as the size of the knots can often reach 5 × 10. This is why the temporal dependence of the velocity of prominence knot motion is represented with a complicated curve.     

Model calculations of the rising motion of a prominence loop

Model calculations are presented for the rising motion of the top section of a prominence loop, which is represented by a straight flux rope immersed in a coronal medium permeated with a bipolar magnetic field. Initially the prominence is at rest, in equilibrium with the surrounding coronal medium. When the magnetic monopoles that account for the source current for the bipolar field strengthen, the upward hydromagnetic buoyancy force overcomes the downward gravitational force so that the prominence is initiated into rising motion. The illustrative examples show that prominences can move away from the solar surface by the action of the hydromagnetic buoyancy force, which is preponderant with the diamagnetic force due to the current carried by the prominence interacting with the coronal magnetic field produced by the photospheric currents, if the changes in the photospheric magnetic field are sufficiently large.     

Ongoing partial reconnection in a limb flare

The limb flare on August 2, 1993 08:30 UT, consisting of two crossed loops, shows evidence of partial X-type reconnection. The observations suggest that partial reconnection was an ongoing process during about 10 min until flare ignition.Visiting Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, on leave from SRON Laboratory for Space Research, Sorbonnelaan 2, Utrecht, The Netherlands.     

Spatial distribution of XUV emission and density in a loop prominence

We have studied the spatial distribution of XUV emission in the 14 August, 1973 loop prominence observed with the NRL spectroheliograph on Skylab. The loop prominence consists of two large loops and is observed in lines from ions with temperatures ranging from 5 × 10⁴ K to 3 × 10⁶ K. The loops seen in low temperature (10⁶K) lines such as from He ii, Ne vii, Mg vii, Mg viii, and Si viii are systematically displaced from loops seen in higher temperature lines such as from Si xii, Fe xv, and Fe xvi. The cross section of the loop, particularly in cooler lines is nearly constant along the loop. For hotter loops in Si xii, Fe xv, and Fe xvi, however, emission at the top of the loop is more intense and extended than that near the footpoints, which makes the loops appear wider at the top.There is no evidence that the 14 August loop prominence consists of a cooler core surrounded by a hot sheath as in some active region and sunspot loops reported by Foukal (1975, 1976). Rather, the observed spatial displacement between cooler and hotter loops suggest that the 14 August loop prominence is composed of many magnetic flux tubes, each with its own temperature.Ball Corporation. Now with NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center.     

The flare as a result of cross-interaction of loops: Causal relationship with a prominence

The helical bend of magnetic loops of an emerging arcade leads to their cross-interaction. If the longitudinal magnetic field and longitudinal electric field in the arcade loops are antiparallel, then a rapid formation of a horizontal magnetic filament is possible. Its subsequent decay can have a flare character. In the opposite case (B · i ) > 0 the magnetic filament cannot form rapidly.     

Cooling of a coronal flare loop through radiation and conduction

A simple method is proposed for a computation of the cooling of coronal flare loops by radiation and conduction, for various temperatures, densities, and lengths of the loops. The relative importance of conductive and radiative losses is briefly discussed.     

Oscillations in EUV emission lines during a loop brightening

Oscillations in the emission in the ultraviolet lines of Cii, Oiv, and Mg x, detected by the Harvard College Observatory EUV spectroheliometer on Skylab are observed on August 7, 1973, during a loop brightening. The intensity of the EUV lines varies with a period of 141 s during the time of enhanced intensity of the coronal loop, lasting 10 min. The periodic oscillation is not only localized in the loop region but extends over a larger area of the active region, maintaining the same phase. We suggest that the intensity fluctuation of the EUV lines is caused by small-amplitude waves, propagating in the plasma confined in the magnetic loop and that size of the loop might be important in determining its perferential heating in the active region.On leave from the University of Torino, Italy.     

X-ray observations of a major eruptive flare behind the limb

We analyze X-ray images and spectra of a coronal structure which extended to altitudes over 130 000 km above an eruptive flare located 20° behind the western solar limb. The images were obtained by the Flat Crystal Spectrometer (FCS) and the spectra were obtained by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) aboard the SMM spacecraft. Images in Oviii and Mgxi lines cover the period from before the flare onset (which occurred at 22:31 UT on 16 February, 1986) through 17 UT on 17 February and were used for determination of temperature and emission measure within the structure. BCS obtained Caxix spectra of the coronal event, benefiting from the occultation of the active region behind the solar limb.The BCS data show, and FCS data confirm, that the temperature, after an initial rise and decline, stayed almost constant for many hours after 04:30 UT on 17 February. This may indicate that initially we observed the rise and decay of post-flare loops, but later the X-ray emission came predominantly from a post-flare giant arch that formed above them. This has been observed in many previous cases. However, a comparison with other events characterized by very high post-flare loops, such as those that occurred on 29 July, 1973 (Skylab data) and on 14 February, 1986 (from this same region), suggests that we may be observing the same system of slowly growing groups all the time. Therefore, we suggest a third possibility, i.e., that such anomalously high loop systems first behave like post-flare loops but gradually take over some characteristics of a post-flare giant arch. The Soft X-ray Telescope aboardYohkoh, with spatial resolution improved by nearly an order of magnitude, might be able to check up on the development of such large-scale coronal structures if proper observational modes are applied after the occurrence of major eruptive flares.Deceased 1 June, 1993.     

Studies on post-flare loop prominence of 1981 April 27

By use of the H observations of the Astrophysical Observatory in Catania, Italy and the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanking, China as well as hard X-ray and gamma-ray burst data from the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS), a major eruptive loop prominence was studied during the limb solar flare event of 1981 April 27.Our preliminary analysis shows that there seems to exist a second abrupt energy release for this event, almost 20 min after the end of the impulsive phase of the flare. This energy release is probably associated with the rapidity in upward motion or activation of the loop prominence.A possible candidate for such a process could be the reconnection of the old magnetic field with a newly emerging magnetic field.A theoretical gross estimate for the energy release and particle acceleration has also been made in this work. It appears that the proposed model for charged particle acceleration is very efficient.     

The oscillating loop prominence of July 17, 1981

Oscillatory motions of a loop prominence observed on July 17, 1981 are analysed. The oscillations were mainly horizontal, with a period of 8 min. Restoring force was a result of magnetic tension, and assuming a simplified magnetic field configuration the expression for frequencies of oscillations is derived and compared with the observations. Taking the observed period, the strength of the magnetic field permeating the prominence is estimated as 45 G. Finally, the stability of the prominence is discussed.     

Evolution of emerging force-free flux tube to be a flare loop

Solar Physics - Evolution of a filamentary magnetic flux tube emerging from the photosphere is investigated in the assumption that the magnetic field is force-free and unchanged during the...     

Evolution of emerging force-free flux tube to be a flare loop

Evolution of a filamentary magnetic flux tube emerging from the photosphere is investigated in the assumption that the magnetic field is force-free and unchanged during the evolution.If a characteristic radius of the flux tube is 3 km or less setting the field to 1000G, the temperature increases at first due to Joule heating up to about one million degree keeping the plasma density almost constant, and then the density decreases down to a critical value at which a current instability may occur. Thus, a.strong field-aligned electric field of 200 million volts or more is expected to be produced during the following anomalous Ohmic decay of the magnetic field as already shown by a numerical simulation.     

A single loop of 21 January 1974 flare

A single loop associated with a flare of 21 January 1974 was studied with NRL spectroheliograms in order to understand the phenomenon of evaporation. The loop seen in the emission lines of Fe xv reached its maximum brightness 15 min after the onset. The loop is different from a flare loop because of the time sequence in which it appeared and is different from a post-flare loop prominence system because of its morphology. The electron density in the loop increases gradually to 4 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3. The material of the loop is thought to be supplied from the lower atmosphere of the chromosphere or the photosphere. The loop is an associated phenomenon of the main flare event distinguished by a longer rise time (15 min) and a lower peak temperature (2 × 10⁶ K).     

X-ray imaging of a solar limb flare on 1982 January 22

Simultaneous X-ray images in hard (20–40 keV) and softer (6.5–15 keV) energy ranges were obtained with the hard X-ray telescope aboard the Hinotori spacecraft of an impulsive solar X-ray burst associated with a flare near the solar west limb.The burst was composed of an impulsive component with a hard spectrum and a thermal component with a peak temperature of 2.8 × 10⁷ K. For about one minute, the impulsive component was predominant even in the softer energy range.The hard X-ray image for the impulsive component is an extended single source elongated along the solar limb, rather steady and extends from the two-ribbon H flare up to 10⁴ km above the limb. The centroid of this source image is located about 10 (7 × 10³ km) ± 5 above the neutral line. The corresponding image observed at the softer X-rays is compact and located near the centroid of the hard X-ray image.The source for the thermal component observed in the later phase at the softer X-rays is a compact single source, and it shows a gradual rising motion towards the later phase.     

Computation and analysis of the physical fields of a disc flare loop

We carried out a preliminary reduction of the Ha-SSHG spectral data on the large, double-ribbon, class 3B flare of 1981 May 16, obtained at Yunnan Observatory. We used a least-squares fit of a nonlinear function to derive simultaneously from the observed profile, the optical depth at the line centre, the Doppler width, the mean source function and the radial velocity, thus providing an example of a numerical treatment of data having the characteristics of a time-space series.The results of calculation show that matter inside the flare loop was falling along the loop legs to the chromosphere and that it would be more reasonable to use the chromospheric evaporation model to account for the source of the loop matter.     

The limb flare of August 11, 1972

A limb flare is described that occurred above a complex and very active sunspot. Four stages can be distinguished: the flash-phase, the spray-phase, the surge-phase and the loop-phase. Each of them had a duration that was longer than that of the preceding one. In the spray ascending speeds up to 745 km s^–1 and accelerations up to 1.3 km s^-2 were recorded. The loop-phase has been observed in the coronal lines 5303 and 5694 Å. The yellow line, being very weak before the flare, became extremely strong in the loop and surpassed five times the intensity of the green line. X-ray bursts and ionospheric disturbances of long duration demonstrate that not only the flare itself but also the loop was a source of X-rays. Most of the radio-bursts can be ascribed to specific features in the H-records of the event.Astronomishe Mitteilungen der Eidgenössischen Sternwarte Zürich Nr. 318.